Kingdom Hearts: Invasion
by Metroid Life
Summary: Having destroyed everything else, Organization XIII moves on to their final target: Earth.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Or Final Fantasy. But any original characters are mine.

**Kingdom Hearts: Invasion**

The two workers were leaving the warehouse when they heard a _whooshing _noise. They looked everywhere but up. One of them shrugged and said, "Guess it was nothing."

Hiding in a dark part of the ceiling, Larxene laughed. Deciding she'd let them live long enough, She threw one of her daggers at Idiot1. Her aim was perfect; it stabbed him in the arm. As the weakling moaned, she jumped down and kicked him toward the wall. Using four more daggers, she stabbed him in the arms, legs and chest, pinning him to the wall. She stabbed him in the head with her last dagger, killing him mid-question. "Wh-" His friend pulled out a gun and fired. She plucked the bullet out of the air, staring at it for a second. She flicked it aside, saying "THAT passes for weapon around here?" Larxene gave him a sympathetic look before blasting the gun out of his hand with lightning. Effortlessly picking him up with one hand, she flung him aside. Shaking in terror and pain, he said, "What are you!" She glanced at him, replying, "Me? Nobody." Teleporting behind him, she quickly slit his throat. She walked outside, humming to herself. Snapping her finger, she didn't even look back as lightning struck the building, burning it to ashes.


	2. Darkness

I woke up screaming. Again. After I calmed down a bit, I realized there seemed to be a pattern to these nightmares… They all had to with Kingdom Hearts, more specifically Organization XIII. They also, invariably, had death in them… maybe Mom was right and I shouldn't play so many video games. Anyway, then I saw someone standing in my room. I thought I'd felt fear before, but I was wrong. I've never been faced with my own possible death. My mind raced. I looked around for a weapon. Spying the flashlight by my bed, I lunged for it. Faster than lightning, he/she grabbed me and lifted me up to eye level. I couldn't see who it was, but then I realized this thing wasn't human. It had cold, unfeeling, yellow eyes. It also had a sword, but that didn't matter when I kicked it in the groin. It dropped me with a horrible howl. It also dropped its sword, which I grabbed to bisect it with. Unfortunately, the sword was too heavy, so I reached for the only other useable weapon: my flashlight. It started to get up, and I shined the light right in its face, trying to blind it. It started to burst into flames. Soon there was nothing left, not even ashes, but I saw what it was.

It looked exactly like a Heartless, more specifically a Invisible. But that's impossible! After all, they aren't real… or maybe they are. "Or maybe," I muttered, "I'm just going insane."

Suddenly, a calm voice rang out.

"Oh, trust me, you're not crazy. That's more than most who were attacked by the Heartless can say." Spinning around, I saw someone standing behind me. His face was covered in red bandages, except for one yellow eye. The rest of his clothes I won't even attempt to describe. He chuckled and said, "Before you say anything, yes, I am Ansem the Wise. No, your not dreaming, and yes, I sent that Heartless." I sputtered for a second, before I realized what he said. He tried to _kill_ me! "W-Why?"

"To test you. Had you failed, I would have called off the Heartless." He sighed sadly. "I'm not a monster, you know… as for why I did it, I could sense power within you… You might be the one I'm looking for."

"For what?"

His eyes suddenly burned with hatred.

"To help me obliterate the Organization."

I thought about this, and said icily,

"Well, can't you get Sora or someone else to help you? Personally, I'd rather not die to your stupid quest for revenge."

He looked surprised by my remark, and his tone told me I wouldn't survive to say it again.

"First, Sora never existed. They had to have a 'hero' in their video games, so they made him up. Anyway, this isn't about my revenge. Organization XIII is always looking for more worlds, to feed to Kingdom Hearts, so that they may exist. Now they've found yours, and if you want to save it, you will help me!"

I chuckled, trying to hide my fear.

"Fine. At least I won't be bored. To tell the truth, I've always wanted to go on some adventure like this."

Ansem sneered and said, "Well, you won't enjoy it for long. I-"

Suddenly, a dark portal opened, and Larxene strode out. She grimaced when she saw Ansem.

"Old fool. You don't know when to die!"

Summoning her daggers, she rushed at him. Ansem pulled a sword out his robe. Blocking her slash, Ansem looked at me.

"Run! Before she…"

Larxene knocked him aside with a kick, and snapped her fingers. Dusk Nobodies appeared and flew after me. Larxene set the house on fire and shot a lightning bolt in my parent's room. It caught on fire too, and to this day, I can still hear my parent's screams as they burned…

Ansem then hit Larxene with a Dark Firaga, slamming her into the wall. Then he killed the Dusks and shoved me into a dark portal. It was completely black inside, but after a few minutes of sitting there in shock, I saw something… moving. It crawled toward me, till I could finally see what it was. A Shadow. The cute little monster looked at me, antennae twitching. I merely had to look at it to see it was harmless. Suddenly, the ground shook, and the Shadow ran away. A claw came out of the ground, followed by tentacles, mandibles, and a single yellow eye. Roaring, it slashed at me. I dived out of the way, and ran. The Heartless quickly caught me, lifting me into the air and stareing at me. Then a mouth formed in the middle of all the tentacles, drooling expectantly. Determined to do _something_ before it ate me, I spat in its eye. I expected it to scream. All it did was squeeze. I howled as my bones started to crack.

Then my life flashed before my eyes. It was like watching a movie. A short, boring movie punctuated by my parent's death and my hatred of Larxene. I wasn't going to die here. Not before I got my revenge. I stared at the monster holding me and concentrated. Ansem said I had power, right? I felt it. A indescribable force, waiting to take form. Unbidden, the words sprung forth. "Fire!" A roaring inferno flew out of my hand, slicing through the tentacles and burning a hole into its eye. The beast burned to ashes with a whimper, and I fell out of its grasp. I hit the ground hard, probably breaking my arm. Another portal opened and Ansem walked out, chuckling. That was the last thing I saw before I fainted.


	3. A friend and plots

When I woke up, I was in a small room, which had a black computer in one corner, a mirror and a door in the other. The walls were made of some kind of metal and covered in various blinking lights. One of them was monitoring my heart rate and beeping. "Oh, you're awake." I turned and saw a kid in a Organization cloak. "Relax, you're safe. My father saved your life, after all."

"Who's he?"

The boy rolled his eyes, saying, "Ansem, who else?" After I got over the shock, I realized he did resemble Ansem. He had the same face, really, except he was younger, beardless, had only one yellow eye (the other was blue.) and green hair that spiked in the front. "So, what's your name?" both of us said at the same time.

I laughed and said, "Mine's kind of embarrassing."

He shrugged.

"Can't be any worse than mine. My name's Cloak."

I didn't laugh. People laughed at me all the time about my name.

"I'm Gale."

He snorted and said, "Sorry, but… _Gale?_"

I shrugged.

"My family always had a weird sense of humor." I felt a stab of pain at the thought of my parents. Changing the subject, I asked, "Why'd Ansem name you Cloak?"

His grin faded.

"I was born in the Realm of Darkness. My mom didn't make it out, and I was wearing this cloak when we came out, just like you." I realized I was wearing a cloak, too. I looked in the mirror and pulled off my hood. I gasped when my face didn't stare back. It was similar, but the eyes were purple, and I had a slight tan. My hair was still brown though.

Cloak chuckled.

"That happens sometimes, and yes, it's permanent."

* * *

Xemnas stared at Larxene. "Does the boy live?"

Larxene nodded. Her eyes had a blank look to them, and her voice was emotionless.

"Yes, Superior."

Xemnas smiled. Saix bowed and added,

"I have his scent. I can track him down…"

Xemnas sighed.

"No…You can kill him after he's outlived his usefulness, not before. Now go." Larxene's eyes flickered, but she obeyed. "Vexen." Vexen appeared and bowed. "Take Larxene to your lab. We can't let her true personality fully emerge." Vexen cackled at the thought of more experiments. He left, and Xemnas laughed to himself. "And now, the game begins."


	4. Training

"So wait. Nothing in those video games actually happened?"

Ansem nodded. He'd been teaching me all about magic and swordplay for the last 3 months.

"Except for the parts about me and the Organization. I knew they were coming, so I sent images of them and the Heartless to someone. He thought he was dreaming, so he made it into a game. When I sent the images to anyone else, they thought they'd played it too long."

Realizing something, I asked, "If nothing in Kingdom Hearts happened, then who's #13, if not Roxas?"

Ansem shuddered.

"Each member controls something, like fire or earth, but he… he controls Life. Whatever he thinks will come forth, a new foe to go along with our already numberless enemies. I hope you never have to face him." He pulled out two swords. One was his usual weapon, a katana. The other was a large, double-edged sword. The sides were jagged, presumably to insure agony with every swing. Ansem smiled, saying, "It is perfect for shattering bones, slicing limbs, and I am giving it to you."

I bowed, saying, "I'm honored, but… don't you need it?"

He shrugged. "No, I never was good with two swords, and you'll need it sooner than you think." He threw the sword at me, and I grabbed it just in time to block his stab. I lunged at him only for him to leap behind me and shove me to the ground. Leaping to my feet, I feinted to the right, causing him to jump to the left, into my next slash. I hit him with the flat of my blade, sending him flying into a wall. He got up quickly, and ran to the left unnaturally fast. So I used magic. "Slow!"

Obeying my will, Time shrunk down to a smaller speed. I lunged at Ansem, landing a kick in the gut before I suddenly collapsed. Time returned to normal, and Ansem chuckled.

"Foolish, to try Time magic against me."

I glared at him.

"Oh? Why's that?" He pointed at a plant growing outside. It withered and died. Ansem smiled eerily. "Time is my specialty." Cloak, who was watching the fight, shuddered. He whispered to me,

"He loves killing stuff like that. Almost killed me accidentally. I jumped from 5 to 16 in a instant." Suddenly, a alarm blared. I knew what this was. Ansem had explained a few weeks ago that he had cameras watching most cities, in case the Organization showed up.

* * *

Apparently, Demyx and 12 Dancer Nobodies were attacking New York. Me, Ansem, and Cloak portaled there and realized this was more of a concert than a invasion. A huge crowd of people surrounded Demyx, who was strumming his sitar, Arpeggio. The crowd was the picture of expectation. Suddenly, Demyx plunged into a sitar solo the likes of which I've never heard. Ok, I never heard a sitar before, but still, best music ever! Beside me, Cloak's mouth hung open. Ansem simply drew his sword. I grabbed his arm and said,

"We don't have to kill him, do we? He's just making music."

Ansem scowled at me and said,

"He's a Nobody, a crime in itself. Besides, even if he's not killing now, he's probably done horrible things in the past."

The Nobodies and humans were dancing to the music, and one of the Dancers, which was taller than the others, was standing next to Demyx, singing in a soft voice. A few minutes later, the crowd left, and Demyx walked toward us, a frown on his face. He stared at Ansem, saying,

"Look, I know you want to kill me, but seriously, why? I didn't betray you, and I-" He suddenly screamed and grabbed his head. The tall Dancer ran to him, saying uncertainly,

"Master?"

He stared at her, saying,

"It's happening again, Giziel. Run, please…"


	5. Vs Demyx

Demyx collapsed, and Giziel disappeared, along with the other Nobodies. Demyx shook for a second. Then he stood up, laughing insanely. He picked up his sitar, and started playing. Water clones appeared, hundreds, all staring at us. Demyx portaled to the top of a skyscraper. Whirlpools surrounded the city, cutting off any escape.

Demyx collapsed, and Giziel disappeared, along with the other Nobodies. Demyx shook for a second. Then he stood up, laughing insanely. He picked up his sitar, and started playing. Water clones appeared, hundreds, all staring at us. Demyx portaled to the top of a skyscraper. Whirlpools surrounded the city, cutting off any escape.

The water clones charged, and we drew our weapons. There was one problem though; being water, the clones reformed and charged again. Fire magic didn't effect them, so I tried Thunder. Lightning bolts sliced through them, evaporating them completely. But Demyx was still playing, so more just took their place.

Then Cloak laughed. "Enough of this…" He floated up in the air, and summoned a scythe. It grew to a enormous size, dwarfing the skyscrapers themselves. He grabbed it with both hands, and slashed, s, "Bend, reality! Do my bidding." The slash tore through the fabric of reality, creating a wormhole. He laughed and commanded "Destroy Demyx!" The wormhole moved, devouring the clones. It obliterated the building Demyx was on, and he jumped off in a desperate attempt to escape.

He portaled out of it's path, and right behind Cloak. He hit him with the sitar, slamming him into the ground. With his will no longer guiding it, the wormhole faded into nothing, and his scythe vanished, leaving naught but black mist. Demyx laughed and geysers of water exploded out of the ground, nearly killing Ansem and singeing my cloak. Then he portaled behind me and tried to stab me with his sitar. I ducked and kicked him in the shin. He collapsed, swearing and cursing. I slashed at him, and he blocked, though my blade easily sliced through his feeble weapon, lodging itself in his knee. Demyx howled in pain, and his water clones disappeared. I looked at him, and noticed something. His eyes were cloudy and blank during the fight, but now they showed genuine emotions: pain, grief, and gratitude. He looked at me, saying:

"You saved me, so, uh, thanks."

He calmly pulled my sword out of his leg, adding,

"Let me explain. Xemnas wasn't very happy because some Organization members, like me, didn't want to kill people and conquer stuff, so he put something in me that makes me go insane when I see his enemies, like you. I don't know how, but somehow that sword of yours saved me… for now."

"By stabbing you in the leg?"

He shrugged.

"Pain stops it, temporarily. The second my leg stops aching, I'll probably try to kill you."


	6. Death by fire

Suddenly, fire surrounded us, and Axel portaled nearby. "Demyx, I got bad news. Xemnas says, your time is up." He summoned his chakrams. He charged, only for a water blast to send him flying. Grimacing, Axel snapped his fingers, summoning about 20 Assassin Nobodies. They quickly started circling us, and one leaped at me. I blocked with my sword, and used a Magnet spell. A glowing orb appeared, and the Assassins were pulled into it. I blasted them with Thunder, killing them all.

Demyx resummoned his sitar, and instantly geysers swept Axel into the air, and he used the opportunity to shoot fireballs at Demyx. More Assassins showed up, charging at all four of us. Ansem used Haste and blurred, moving too fast to see. Cloak used Gravity, grinding some of the Nobodies into the dust. I just charged in, cutting them to pieces, using the occasional Slow spell so they didn't overwhelm me. Suddenly, flames surrounded Demyx and Axel, cutting them off from the world.

I jumped over the flames, stabbing at Axel. He lazily knocked me aside, still focused on Demyx. Annoyed, I punched at him, only for him to grab my fist. He glanced at me saying, "Look, you're not involved in this. I will kill you if you interfere, so stay out of my way!"

Casting a Haste spell, I kicked him in the shin, forcing him to let me go. I dashed behind him to cut his head off. He blocked it, at which point Demyx hit him with a torrent of water. Axel countered with a fireball, canceling both attacks and creating haze of smoke. I slashed at Axel again. Faster than him now and with the element of surprise, I finally managed to stab him in the gut.

He pulled himself off of my blade and screamed as flames came off of him, proof that he was dying, returning to the darkness from whence he came. He glared at me in hatred. "No, I am NOT dying alone. I'm taking you ALL with me!" He pulled himself off my sword, and his chakrams were engulfed with fire. He floated into the air as his weapons begin circling him, soon moving so fast they looked like a circle of fire. Lava soared out of the ground, and fire fell from the sky, scorching the people and buildings. Axel was laughing hysterically. To my surprise, Demyx was laughing too.

"He's about to die, and _that's _all he can do?" He shook his head in a sympathetic way. "Time to end this. Dance, Water, dance!" He started playing. Instantly, a huge tsunami appeared, swallowing Axel and… well, just about everything else except me and Demyx. The resulting tidal wave didn't effect Ansem and Cloak; they portaled on top of a building. The people had hidden underground when Demyx went crazy, so they were fine.

The Assassins were swept away, and Axel seemed to be gone, at least untill he portaled next to me and stabbed me with his chakram. I coughed up blood and collapsed. Axel covered us with a dome of fire. "He glared at me saying,

"I told you not to interfere. I would have let you live, but now I'm going to roast you alive, just like your parents!" Howling in anger, I leaped at him. Laughing, Axel jumped over me, and kicked me in the back. I got up and summoned my sword in a burst of darkness. He groaned. "Don't you get it? You can't win!"

I laughed mirthlessly at this.

"It doesn't matter. Even if you are better than me, are you as angry as I am? Have you had your family, your whole life, obliterated in front of your eyes?"

I ran at him, and hit him with a Blizzaga spell. The spell made him stumble, allowing me to kick him in the head. The kick sent him flying, and then he… vanished. Suddenly, he leaped out of the flames behind me, attempting a sneak attack. "Predictable." I muttered. He did the same thing in Kingdom Hearts II. I swung my sword at him, and he dodged, narrowly avoiding being beheaded. I did cut off a arm, though. He stared at his missing arm in shock, and the flames around us disappeared. I saw that Ansem and the others, including about 50 Dancers, were fighting off a army of Assassins. The battle stopped abruptly.

One of the Assassins stared at Axel.

"Master, you're wounded. You must know what happens now?" They surrounded Axel, and I backed away, filled with a sudden dread. The same Assassin approached, clearly the leader, as he stood straight whereas the others were hunched over, and was a foot taller than them.

Axel backed away desperately.

"Xenew, you don't have to do this!"

Ignoring him, Xenew spoke in a solemn voice.

"We, the Nobody Assassins, have always followed one mandate: Serve the strongest. Several Masters have fallen; Marluxia, slain by Ansem. Lexaeus, killed by Xemnas for disobedience…and now you, Axel."

He glanced at me.

"You have proven yourself stronger than Axel. We Assassins will serve you forevermore."

I glared at him warily.

"Until you meet someone stronger, right?"

Xenew seemed to grin.

"Of course."

Meanwhile, Axel stood up. He summoned one of his chakrams, saying,

"No, I'm not going to-" Xenew leaped at him and slashed. Axel collapsed, and darkness and flames finally engulfed him, leaving nothing but ashes.

* * *

Saix bowed before Xemnas, unsure how to tell him the bad news. "Sir, it seems Demyx has joined Ansem… along with the Assassins. The boy killed Axel." Xemnas nodded, deep in thought. Saix wondered whether he should run now while he still had the chance. He didn't know what Xemnas had planned, and Organization XIII was crumbling to pieces. While he really didn't care who else died, he'd rather it wasn't him.

Xemnas stood up dramatically.

"Saix, prepare the Berserkers. Today, this ends." Noticing Saix's confused look, he explained, "You see, the device inside Demyx tells me where he is. If he's with Ansem, then we can destroy them all."


	7. The first battles

Ansem portaled us back to his lab. By "us", I meant Cloak, himself, Demyx, Giziel and me. Xenew managed to follow us, never letting me out of his sight. Ansem quickly grabbed something off a table and pointed it at Demyx. It glowed, and Ansem's visible eye widened in alarm. The device looked like a magnifying glass, and is used to scan people for diseases, tracking devices and the like. Ansem glared at Demyx. "That device, can Xemnas track us with it?"

Demyx nodded dismally.

"Yeah. If I know him, he's probably coming with Saix and more Nobodies than you ever seen."

Ansem shook with anger.

"I can't leave; this lab is invaluable. We cannot get that thing out with surgery; Xemnas will probably be here before I finish. So… Cloak!"

Cloak jumped.

"Y-Yeah, Dad?" Five minutes later, Demyx was lying on a table, and Cloak was glowing with power.

Xenew glanced at me, saying, "What is Cloak trying to do?"

I shrugged.

"Ansem thinks Cloak's Gravity magic can somehow warp the device out Demyx." Demyx gasped as a metal orb suddenly appeared next to him. Ansem crushed it, proving his theory correct.

"Now, we hopefully won't have to worry about betrayal…" He glared at Xenew. "First, we need to prepare for the coming battle. You all know what to do."

* * *

Cloak stalked though the lab, trying to clear his head. When he finally reached the balcony, he sighed in relief. It was one the few places in Ansem's lab that he felt at peace. Even though it embittered him, this proof that he was from the Realm of Darkness, dusk was the only time he felt safe.

He grinned. "You think I can't smell you over there?" A cloaked figure approached. Cloak knew it was Gale. He didn't know the meaning of stealth, and anyway, his purple eyes actually glowed. Hiding himself was impossible. They stared at each other, and Gale broke the silence.

"Smelling people… I don't know if that's creepy or just awesome!"

Cloak smirked.

"So, you couldn't sleep?"

Gale took off his hood.

"Nah. Too excited about the battle, you know?"

Cloak sighed.

"I almost never feel anything. I'm not even sure I am human. At least Nobodies can fake emotions. Sometimes, they feel them too. But me, I can't even say that much." Cloak chuckled at the irony.

Gale pondered this.

"Well, luckily for you, I took therapy lessons! That's really common, the whole "unfeeling" thing. Everyone sorta gets that when they hit 13...I know I did."

Cloak snorted.

"This isn't a phase I'm going through. I've always been like this."

Gale shrugged. "Hey, I'm only trying to help. Still, I guess we have other problems. Armies approaching, traps to prepare, Xigbars to kill…" At this point, he summoned his sword, swinging behind him. Xigbar jumped out of the way, briefly becoming visible. He eye widened in shock, before he disappeared.

* * *

Xemnas stood at the Alter of Naught, waiting for Saix's report. He waited for a long time, staring at the steadily growing Kingdom Hearts. It covered the entire sky by now, and was nearly complete. Only one more heart, that of a world, was necessary. Unfortunately, Earth was the only remaining world; no others had been found. While he was pondering this, Saix portaled nearby.

"Superior, the army is approaching Ansem's base. However, I believe they are expecting us."

Xemnas nodded.

"Yes, they do. However, Xigbar and Luxord will be able to distract them. Hopefully, their loss will not be vain." Saix stiffened at this. Xemnas chuckled hollowly. "Don't be so surprised, number VII. In this war, sometimes there must be sacrifices for the greater good." Saix bowed and left, apparently unaffected by Xemnas's cold tactics.

* * *

While Xigbar fought Cloak and Gale, Luxord ran though the Lab, looking for his target. He didn't need to sneak around; there isn't any noise when Time has stopped, after all. However, after he found Ansem's room,Time returned to normal, with Ansem staring him down. He silently drew his blade, and Luxord shuffled his cards. Ansem lunged forward, but missed as Luxord somersaulted over his head, blasting him with a barrage of cards.

Ansem stopped this with a Reflect spell, making a explosion of Light, having the combined effect of blinding him and sending Luxord flying. The blast made Luxord stagger, but he then ran at Ansem, throwing a huge card at him. Ansem's sight returned just in time to dodge it, though it did cut his bandages. The card spun around, apparently trying to bisect him. Ansem swiftly sliced it in two, as his bandages fell off, revealing his face. He looked at lot like Luxord, but he had a beard and yellow eyes. His face was also contorted with rage.

He snapped his fingers, and several Pureblood Heartless, specifically Neoshadows and Invisibles, appeared. Luxord chuckled. "Impressive, but the odds are still against you." As he said this, several Dusks came to his side, along with a new kind of Nobody leading them. This creature was all white, like most Nobodies, and was very tall. Its arms were incredibly long, and they were strapped to its sides by a chain. All in all, it looked like something you'd find in a asylum. Then the chains unraveled, and wrapped around one of the Invisibles, crushing it to death. The Heartless charged, though the outcome was certain.

A few seconds later, only the Nobodies were left, though a few Dusks had died. Ansem ran at them, attempting to slice them to pieces. The Asylum Nobody stopped his sword with chains, and the Dusks pounced on him. Well, they would have, but a geyser erupted out of the floor, destroying them. Demyx jumped into the fight, followed quickly by Giziel. The Asylum Nobody opened his hands, revealing two more chains growing out of them. The chains shot at the Nobodies, with mixed results. Giziel dodged it and leaped at her foe. Demyx wasn't so fortunate. The chain wrapped around his sitar, snapping in two. Giziel dropkicked the Nobody, which did nothing thanks to his elasticity. His head stretched out of the way of her kick and wrapped around her legs. He tried to punch her, only for Giziel to slip out of his grasp and kick him in the face. The Nobody stumbled, but quickly got up, getting ready to reveal its most horrifying weapon. Luxord, who was watching the fight, decided he should leave before his sanity did. After he left, the Nobody's head shivered, revealing his newly formed mouth. A hollow laugh emanated from him, starting as a low chuckle, but swiftly grew into a insanity-inducing howl.

The one remaining Dusk fell to the ground, spasming and twitching before it died. Ansem and Giziel were also suffering. Demyx, however, couldn't hear it, playing his sitar and lost his private world of music. Just as his music hit its highest pitch, he pointed his sitar at the Nobody, blasting him with water. Water filled the corridor, silencing the Nobody and slamming him into a wall. Ansem quickly recovered and sliced him in two.

* * *

Xigbar warped from place to place, shooting at his enemies from afar, namely Cloak and me. I couldn't see him or Cloak; they were using Gravity magic to warp around. Bullets flew everywhere, and there was the sharp sound of their weapons colliding. There was nothing I could do; they were simply too fast.

A dry chuckle drew my attention. To my right, Luxord stood, observing the battle with bitter amusement. "Fate dealt me a bad hand, I couldn't complete my mission… but at least I can still destroy one of you."

I grinned.

"If you couldn't beat Ansem or Demyx, how could you beat me?" Luxord snapped his fingers, summoning both Gambler Nobodies and his cards. The Gamblers flew at me, only for at least 30 Shadows to fall on them, crushing them all. The Shadows then swarmed around me, rubbing on my legs like pet cats. I petted one of them, much bigger than the others. "Shader, you did good. You can go now, alright?" Shader nodded, and the Shadows disappeared. Luxord simply gawked at me. I glared at him, saying, "What? Can't I have some cute pet Heartless?" Luxord scowled, and suddenly disappeared. His fist instantly smashed into my gut, freshly Cured from Axel's stab earlier. I moaned in pain, and slashed at him. He dodged it, unnaturally fast. I smirked. "A Haste spell, huh? Let's see you dodge this!" I cast a Firaga spell, unleashing a enormous inferno. Luxord's cards were destroyed, and he was blown away, burned and in pain.

* * *

Cloak was aware of the fire, but ignored it in favor of survival. He realized, from the second his battle started, that Xigbar was truly unparalleled at his element. He warped behind Xigbar, only for him to casually point his gun at Cloak's face. He grinned, savoring the moment. "You put up a good fight, kid. You almost had me for a minute there." He chuckled. "Too bad 'almost' isn't good enough."

Cloak grimaced, stating bluntly, "Yeah, I know… Aero!" The wind spell literally blew him away, leaving him open to Cloak's attack. Unfortunately, Cloak's scythe was a bit off; instead of slicing Xigbar to two, it left a gash on his shoulder. He screamed in pain, portaling away before the fight got any worse. Apparently agreeing with this, Luxord also fled.


	8. Saix's rebellion

Saix, for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, was actually _feeling_. The anxiety and fear of being caught, combined with the joy of finally escaping Xemnas's control. A Berserker appeared before him, reporting. "Luxord and Xigbar have returned, my lord. They are currently at The Grey Area." Saix nodded distractedly, realizing Xemnas probably already knew this. If he was to enact his plan, it must be soon.

* * *

I met with Xenew, Demyx, and the others, and they looked as alarmed as I did. "Not that I'm complaining, but I thought we were gonna fight a army, not two people."

Xenew stepped forward, grabbing everyone's attention.

"I should point out that there _is_ a army after us, coming in a few hours. Xigbar and Luxord were probably a distraction, sent to hinder us until their army can come and finish us off."

"How do you know?" Demyx asked.

He answered, "I have been spying on them for the last few hours. The Gamblers and Sorcerers are absent from their forces, however." Ansem nodded sagely. "Not surprising. Gamblers are not built for battle. As for the Sorcerers… they're more like Xemnas's bodyguards than actual soldiers."

I spoke up, asking seriously, "Seeing as we have Heartless, Assassins, and Dancers, not to mention ourselves, do you think we can win, Ansem?"

He pondered this, finally saying, "Maybe. We might win, or we may end up running for our lives. Regardless, someone should keep watch." Seeing as he meant me, I whistled and Shader the Gigas-Shadow appeared out of the darkness. Seeing as it was bigger than I was, I jumped on Shader's back and rode off into the night.

* * *

Saix spoke with Xigbar and Luxord, in the process discovering he had a knack for speeches. "Xemnas has deceived us for years. _He_ want's the hearts we gathered, and not for his own heart. He wants them to achieve ultimate power! Once he has that, he will crush us all like insects. I will not stand idly by as he plots behind our backs!" They seemed to agree with this, so he added, "First, we must see Vexen. He should be able to cure your wounds, and he will join our cause." And so they left, unaware of the eyes watching them from the shadows.

* * *

I'll give Heartless this much: they're good at taking orders. They don't argue or complain, and they certainly don't disobey. Especially Shader, seeing as I trained it myself. I had to teach it to not kill humans on sight, but animals instead. Ansem told me I was crazy; it would never work. But after a month of ceaseless training, and one very bad leg scar, I'd finally tamed it, and since it is the "leader" of a pack of Shadows, all 30 of them like me, which is nice, kind of fills the loneliness in my heart… anyway, enough of my rambling. Shader and I hid in a forest, observing Xemnas's army. Most of the Nobodies were asleep, though a few Snipers were watching for intruders. Once I was sure they couldn't hear me, I snapped my fingers. Instantly 5 Assassins appeared, led by Xenew. "You called, Master?" I nodded. "I need you five to spread out and investigate this army. I want to know exactly what we're up against. Go." All of them left, except a rather short Assassin, looking confused. I kneeled down next to her, saying, "What's wrong?"

She whimpered, "I-I just don't understand. Why do I look like this? What happened to my mom?" I sat next to her, realizing the drape over her face looked more like hair, the only noticeable sign she was a girl, probably no older than 5 or 6. After she told me her name was Melissa, I tried to explain that I may be able to help her find her mom, but it's unlikely, and that her looking like that was more or less perfectly natural. She sniffed, "You'll really help me find my mom?"

I grinned.

"I wouldn't lie to you, would I? Right now, though, you need to help the others watch this army. Tell you what, I'll come with you and explain everything." She did look confused, but eager to learn. And thus I met the closest thing to a sister I ever had…

* * *

Saix spoke with Vexen, who examined Xigbar and Luxord, in order to heal them properly. Saix left into the waiting room, aka the "Hall of Ceaseless Waiting." Meanwhile, Vexen fixed Xigbar's shoulder as he told him of Xemnas's ambitions. At this point, a portal opened, revealing a unsurprisingly cloaked figure. Vexen glanced at him saying, "Ah, you're here, Laegox." #13, Laegox removed his hood, revealing yellow eyes, bright as fire, and pale skin, as well as black hair in no specific fashion, it was just messy. He walked over to Luxord, saying in a wispy, faint voice,

"Don't worry, Luxord, this won't hurt… I think." He suddenly lunged at Luxord, grabbing the burnt side of his face. The gambler screamed briefly, then there was a bright light as his burns disappeared. Laegox chuckled as Luxord collapsed in his chair, unconscious. "Now, as for your little rebellion… I will join you, on one condition. I want to battle Saix, one on one."

Vexen spoke up.

"And I won't join you until you prove to me that we've been deceived."

Saix stepped in, having heard the whole conversation. "Very well. Let me erase your doubts, Vexen." He snapped his fingers, calling a Soldier Heartless. "Xemnas says that if we want _our_ hearts back, we must complete Kingdom Hearts, and that may be true. However, I must ask, what does a heart do?" Vexen looked surprised at the question, saying, "They allow us to feel emotion." Saix nodded and started pacing the room like a wolf circling its prey, the Soldier following obediently. "Exactly! There is no distinction between one heart and another. We don't necessarily need our old hearts back; any heart will do! Therefore, Xemnas's plan only helps him. Just as we, the Body and Soul of our old selves, have power, so do does the Heart. With the billions of hearts we have gathered, Xemnas would be unstoppable!" Vexen seemed appalled by Xemnas's trickery, while Laegox didn't seem to care. Saix continued, "But I'm sure this will prove it better than any words." He turned toward the Soldier. Fast as lightning, he punched it into a wall with a audible crack. The Heartless went limp, and was consumed by Darkness. Its heart floated into the air, and Saix tried to grab it. Just before he did, the heart swerved downward. He tried again, only for it to evade him. Normally, Vexen would say this proved that they couldn't have other's hearts. He would have said that, but every time it dodged Saix, it glowed white, a clear sign that it was in the thrall of Xemnas's power. The heart's glow increased as it floated upward to Kingdom Hearts, until it was lost from sight.

Vexen stuttered,

"Y-You were right…"

Laegox nodded, stating,

"Looks like you've won his support… but none of that explains why I should help you." Saix looked confused, so he added, "True, Xemnas would be a trilling opponent, but no matter their reasons, I will not fight alongside weaklings, and those two" -Laegox glanced at Xigbar and Luxord- "don't give me much hope." After they stepped into the far more spacious waiting room, Saix grinned and summoned his claymore, Lunatic. Laegox held out his hand, calling upon his staff, Agrona. It had the exact same look as the walls: white, adorned only by various lines and holes in the shape of the Nobody sigil.

Saix made the first move, rushing Laegox. He knocked Saix's blade aside, then hit him in the gut. Saix dodged this, jumping to the side, and swung at Laegox again, trying to knock his feet out from under him. He jumped over the attack, taking advantage of his new height to attack Saix's head. Saix blocked this, and realized how strong Laegox was as he pressed down on him. At that point, Saix absorbed the moon's power, awakening his Berserk state with a blue shockwave, sending his enemy flying. Saix could see nothing but his weakened prey before him. He grinned, rushing in for the kill.

Laegox leaped over him as chains flew out the holes in his staff, wrapping around Saix's claymore. He pulled, trying to yank the weapon out of Saix's hand. Saix roared in anger, pulling in the opposite direction, with the combined result of freeing his claymore and throwing Laegox into a wall. #13 groaned as he got up, only for Saix to charge at him again. In a desperate attempt to stop him, Laegox shouted, "Life!" With a sharp popping sound, his creations appeared.

In this case, 5 wolf-like creatures were born. They were completely white, except for their foreheads, which had black fur in the shape of the Nobody sigil. The wolves charged, but the first was sliced in two. 3 others were blown away by the shockwave Saix made. The last wolf leaped at him, biting into his arm. Laegox surveyed this as Saix flung it into a wall. Saix ran at him again, only for Laegox to fire his chains at him once more. Instead of hitting him, the chains wrapped around a pillar, pulling Laegox with them. Laegox flew by Saix, punching him in the gut. As he neared the pillar, he leaned to the left, spinning around it and coming back at Saix, kicking him in the face. The Luna Divider stumbled, but righted himself just in time to grab Laegox's staff and throw it aside. He smashed Laegox into a wall, and threw his claymore at him. He just managed to limp out of the way, but the shockwave sent him flying regardless. He stood up, shouting, "Curaga!" A green light engulfed him as his ribs and legs fixed themselves.

Undaunted, Saix summoned another claymore and leaped at him. Laegox did the same, dodging Saix's attack and wrapping his chains around him as he passed. Swinging the staff over his head, Laegox arranged it so Saix would hit the ground headfirst. He would have, but he grabbed the chain, pulling Laegox under him. With an earth-shattering crash, they hit the ground, with Saix crawling out of crater. His Berserk state ended, and he collapsed. Laegox came out next, in even worse condition. "C-Cure…" He aimed the spell at both of them, and added as their wounds slowly healed, "You have proven your worth, Saix. I will join you."


	9. War

Vexen grinned as the fight ended, eager to get back to his experiments. If Saix was telling the truth, they would need _her_ help. Vexen portaled to his room, which doubled as a lab. Once there, he walked over to a wall and pushed on part of it. The section glowed, revealing a password screen. It was nearly impenetrable, as it needed 3 passwords:

_What is Vexen's real name? _Even.

_What does oxygen and hydrogen make? _Water.

_Name someone famous. _Justin Bailey.

With the last password, the wall split in two, revealing several operating tables, computers, and a huge jar filled with unidentifiable goo that looked vaguely like a lava lamp. Vexen ignored these, though. He stared at the casket hidden in the darkest corner of the room. It was a pale white color, a sharp contrast to its occupant, the Savage Nymph, Larxene. In her artificial coma, Vexen could finally fix her split personality disorder. Before, she flipped constantly from a vicious warrior that enjoys suffering to a inexpressive, uncaring drone. The latter is her true personality, something Vexen had desperately tried to suppress. Her 'savage' side would be a great asset to the Organization, and to Saix's rebellion. Vexen stared at her, stating, "Now, let's get started." He reached for his scalpel, a horrifying grin on his face.

* * *

I told Melissa everything I knew about the creature she had become, a Nobody. It didn't seem to bother her, in fact, she was just happy that she could jump around and do back flips. As for our spying, the Dragoons all closed in on one spot. Once there, they bowed as their master, Xaldin, portaled nearby. He muttered something, and they flew off. He then grinned, and threw one of his lances at me. Xenew deflected it, and the battle began. I jumped at Xaldin, trying to cut him in two. He effortlessly dodged it, and he simply blew away the Assassins that snuck attacked him. He threw all his lances at me, and I blocked them with my sword. It stopped most of them, but one flew around it and stabbed into my leg. I gasped in pain, giving him the chance he needed. He disarmed me, and grabbed my throat. Suddenly, he screamed and leaped to the side. Melissa had stabbed him in the back, yelling, "Leave Gale alone, you jerk!"

He snorted, shouting, "Foolish girl. How dare you interfere!" Xaldin ran at her, holding one of his lances.

"Reflect!" My spell activated, blocking his attack and blinding him with Light. At that point, the Dragoons came back, along with what seemed to be their whole army. The Nobodies glared resentfully, eager to tear us apart. The Emblem Heartless seemed less disciplined, excited about the first heart they'd seen in days. I looked at Melissa.

"This isn't going to end well…" I intoned.

"Isn't their anything you can do?"

"Well, there is one thing I could try… brace yourself and try not to scream."

I slammed my sword into the ground, following my own advice. Then I called upon the Darkness, preparing to summon the one of the largest Heartless I've ever seen. Darkness flowed from the ground, followed closely by a Darkside. The humanoid monster ran at my enemies, but stopped short when Xaldin called an equally huge Nobody, the Twilight Thorn. But I wasn't done. A heart-stopping roar split the air as a Abomination Heartless appeared, a terrifying mass of tentacles and mouths, all surrounding a glowing yellow eye. The miasmal wind its entrance produced made me shudder. I clenched my sword tightly; knowing that I could control the Heartless was the only reason I didn't flee in terror.

* * *

Ansem could see the Abomination from miles away; it was just that big. The fact that Gale had to resort to summoning _that_ Heartless, the one he despised and feared the most, showed that things were worse than he thought. He saw Demyx run toward a dark portal, clearly ready to join the battle. Cloak soon followed.

* * *

The Abomination stuck first, crushing the Nobodies with its tentacles.

Xenew slipped into the ground while they were distracted, sneaking up behind the Dragoons and slaying one. The other 4 reacted instantly, stabbing at him with their lances. Xenew easily jumped over them, slicing off their heads in the process. Dusks flew at me, only for me to portal elsewhere, specifically behind a nearby tree. They stood there, uncertain, until I snapped my fingers, surrounding them with Shadows. Meanwhile, the Darkside faded away, pummeled by the Twilight Thorn. The Nobody didn't stand a chance against the Abomination, thanks to my commands, and it was promptly crushed. I heard a clicking noise behind me, and realized I should have paid more attention to my own surroundings. I spun around, seeing at least 10 Snipers pointing their Arrowguns at me. I summoned my sword, ready to at least kill a few of them before I died. There was a white blur as one of them collapsed. Melissa appeared next to me, clearly ready to fight. Before anyone else could attack, a portal opened, and Xigbar walked out pointing his Arrowguns at both of us.

He glanced at the Snipers. "Alright, I want you and all the others to leave. Now."

They looked startled.

"But Master, we-" He pointed his gun at them, saying, "Look, I'll explain it later. Leave now, or I_ will _shoot you." They bowed and disappeared. "Now, lets talk. I want you to help me with-"

"Let me guess," I interrupted. "You want me to kill Xemnas. That's the only reason you could possibly want my help."

He laughed. "That's right!" He explained what Saix told him, (doesn't surprise me) who was on his side, etc.

I thought for a second and said, "Alright, I'll help. But only if you help us fight Xaldin." I was going to ask about Larxene, but figured I could find her on my own. I certainly wasn't going to have my revenge handed to me on a platter. Xigbar didn't answer, but he fired a shot at Xaldin. It missed.

He shrugged and said, "Alright. I helped." He vanished, just before I could slice him in two. It his place was a Dragoon. Three more were behind it, eager to fight. They never got the chance.

* * *

Xigbar shot the Dragoons, winked at Gale, and warped into the battle. Well, near the battle, anyway. He put his guns together, forming a sniper rifle. He killed a few Dragoons out of boredom, and aimed for their leader. Wait, where did he-

"Looking for me, Xigbar?" He warped away just in time dodge Xaldin's lances. Xigbar fired a few shots that Xaldin easily dodged, only for the bullets to suddenly stop in midair and fly at Xaldin's face. He grinned. "Your control of Space is impressive…" The bullets darted towards the ground in a gust of wind, missing him completely. "But you should know cannot defeat me." Xigbar fired several more shots, all the same result. He went for different approach; firing shots all directions. A few hit Xaldin out of sheer surprise, but it was nothing compared to what happened next. Xigbar opened a portal in front of Xaldin, with all of the shots he fired flying out. Xaldin was torn to shreds, though he managed to blast Xigbar first. The Freeshooter was send flying, slamming head first in to a tree. What's more, several Nobodies saw the fight, and were more than willing to kill the traitorous Xigbar.

* * *

Cloak thought for a moment, debating whether it was worth it to save Xigbar. Finally, he sighed and portaled in front of the unconscious Nobody. Promptly crushing the Dusks with Gravity, he stared at Xigbar. His father had always told him that he should help the few allies they had, since they couldn't afford to lose them. Did that apply to Xigbar too? Noticing more Nobodies coming, he groaned and decided to figure it out later.

* * *

Melissa leaped back, barely dodging her opponent's attacks. This Nobody was much taller than her, with glowing hands and a hood obscuring it's face. Its hands glowed red, and she jumped again, barely avoiding its fireballs. She sunk into the ground, coming up behind it and slicing it in two. Several more Mage Nobodies showed up behind her, but a burst of water sent them flying, and the Dancers quickly finished them off. Gale and Demyx were behind them, fighting off several Dragoons. Melissa attacked them from behind, cutting three of them to pieces. The remaining Dragoons looked at each other, then flew off, realizing this was a fight they couldn't win.

* * *

Ansem fought off several Dusks, as the higher-ranking Nobodies had fled. All that was left was the Dusks and a few Emblem Heartless. Except for one Assassin Nobody, which seemed to be waiting for him. "Ansem, Gale needs your help. Follow me." Ansem did so, quickly finding Gale, Demyx, and a few Assassins being attacked by Zexion.

* * *

Zexion tortured Demyx with Thundaga spells, chuckling to himself. Demyx had always annoyed him with his music, and now he would suffer for it. He was so busy blasting Demyx that he didn't see the Assassins sneaking up on him, or so it seemed. They tried to stab him from behind, but his weapon, the Book of Retribution, appeared in front of them, blocking their attack and sucking them inside the book. Gale tried to slice him in two, but Zexion blocked with a copy of Vexen's shield. The ice on it started spreading, entrapping Gale's sword and arm. Zexion then made a copy of Ansem's katana, and stabbed Gale in the gut. Zexion pulled the blade out, ignoring Gale's howls of pain. He opened his book, and Gale was pulled in as Zexion portaled away, the book closing with a decisive snap.


	10. The battle ends

Melissa leaped back, barely dodging her opponents attacks. This Nobody was much taller than her, with glowing hands and a hood obscuring it's face. It's hands glowed red, and she jumped again, barely avoiding it's fireballs. She sunk into the ground, coming up behind it and slicing it in two. Several more Mage Nobodies showed up behind her, but a burst of water sent them flying, and the Dancers quickly finished them off. Gale and Demyx were behind them, fighting off several Dragoons. Melissa attacked them from behind, cutting three of them to pieces. The remaining Dragoons looked at each other, then flew off, realizing this was a fight they couldn't win.

* * *

Ansem fought off several Dusks, as the higher-ranking Nobodies had fled. All that was left was the Dusks and a few Emblem Heartless. Except for one Assassin Nobody, which seemed to be waiting for him. "Ansem, Gale needs your help. Follow me." Ansem did so, quickly finding Gale, Demyx, and a few Assassins being attacked by Zexion.

* * *

Zexion tortured Demyx with Thundaga spells, chuckling to himself. Demyx had always annoyed him with his music, and now he would suffer for it. He was so busy blasting Demyx that he didn't see the Assassins sneaking up on him, or so it seemed. They tried to stab him from behind, but his weapon, the Book of Retribution, appeared in front of them, blocking their attack and sucking them inside the book. Gale tried to slice him in two, but Zexion blocked with a copy of Vexen's shield. The ice on it started spreading, entrapping Gale's sword and arm. Zexion then made a copy of Ansem's katana, and stabbed Gale in the gut. Zexion pulled the blade out, ignoring his howls of pain. He opened his book, and Gale was pulled in as Zexion portaled away, the book closing with a decisive snap.

* * *

I awoke in darkness, alone except for a vague noise. It sounded like someone walking. With nothing better to do, I got up to find them. Instantly, I stumbled, grasping the wound in my stomach. Cursing under my breath, I muttered, "Cura." Nothing happened. "Huh? Cura! Cura! Why isn't my magic working?" Zexion's chuckle rang through the lightless void. "Your magic works fine. I am simply blocking it." A spotlight appeared from nowhere, revealing Zexion. He was lounging in a bizarre throne. It was clearly a throne, but any other details were hidden by illusions. He was reading a book of some sort, which floated in front of him, slowly turning it's pages. Glancing at me, he healed me, asking, "Do you like the throne? I based it of mine in The World That Never Was." I shrugged. "Well, it's impressive, but I don't remember your throne looking like that." Turning his attention back to the book, he replied, "I'll give the games this: They were incredibly accurate, but the smaller details are somewhat lacking." As he spoke, I summoned my sword and charged at him. Well, I tried to. My feet wouldn't move. In desperation, I threw my sword at him. Zexion snapped his fingers, and the blade stopped in midair. "You can't harm me, not here, inside my Book." A shudder ran through me as a unseen force slammed me into the ground. Zexion disappeared, I heard a horrible sound, like a book slamming shut. That may not seem too bad to you, but to me it rang with all the finality of a dying scream.

* * *

Zexion closed his book with a satisfying snap. He smiled as he made his way to the Castle. "Soon, Gale, I will make you see that your hopes are nothing… nothing but mere illusion…"


	11. A great loss

Melissa followed Zexion through the portal, keeping hidden in the ground. She stuck to the shadows, looking for any opening to steal the book from him. There was none, as Zexion simply unsummoned the book once he decided he didn't need it. So Melissa kept tailing him, and waited for the moment to strike.

* * *

Xemnas stared at the Assassin army. "So, Zexion, I see you defeated the boy."

Zexion nodded.

"Yes, Superior. I trapped him in my book. The Assassins decided to work for me after that."

"Very well, then. Take out his heart. It's his Nobody I want." Zexion opened his book and disappeared inside. Xemnas stared at the book for a second, then glanced behind him. "You can come out now, girl." Nothing happened. "Very well, then. I'll make you come out."

With that, Xemnas concentrated, and suddenly Melissa was pulled toward him, out of the wall where she was hiding. She came to a stop in front of him, floating in midair, unable to move. Melissa stared into Xemnas's yellow, emotionless eyes. They were somehow the most terrifying thing she had ever seen. Mercifully, Xemnas looked away as Zexion's book opened once more.

"It is done, Xemnas." Zexion and another Nobody walked out. Though his face was hidden by his hood, there was no mistaking his glowing purple eyes.

Xemnas looked at Gale, nodding in approval.

"I will deicide on a new name for you later. For now, I want you to kill the girl behind me." Gale said nothing; he simply summoned his weapon in a burst of Darkness and white energy. He raised his blade, ready to strike. Melissa cried, knowing she was doomed.

"Y-you said you'd help me find my mom. You said you wouldn't lie to me!"

Gale gasped, as memories flooded through him.

* * *

_First_…I was with my parents, watching movies, eating at the park, playing with my dogs…

_Second_…That moment when Larxene appeared, setting everything ablaze…

_Third_…Training with Ansem and Cloak, playing with Shader…

_Last…_Zexion appeared again, a disturbing grin on his face. I stared at him defiantly. "Well!? What do you want?"

"I'm here to set you free, on Xemnas's orders." He walked over to me, holding out his hand. I reached for it(so I could surprise him by going for his throat.) when he attacked with his other hand, reaching inside me, searching for my heart. I tried to escape, but couldn't move. After a seemingly endless moment, he finally found it. Zexion's eyes lit up in triumph, and he held my heart tightly, as though to crush it.

He pulled it out, observing my pained expression. He quipped, "Well, I didn't say all of you was free. Certainly not your heart." My heart floated away, heading for Kingdom Hearts. I panicked, but the emotion felt strangely muted. Even so, I knew I had to keep my heart out of Xemnas's hands. I focused, a surprisingly easy thing to do without emotions. I willed the Darkness to come, to swallow my heart. I might never get it back, but no one else would have it either. My heart's light faded, and tendrils of Darkness appeared, quickly ensnaring it. Soon, it was gone completely. Zexion gasped in disbelief. I grinned, but it was just a reflex. The only thing I felt was empty. Zexion glared at me in irritation. "A clever trick, Gale, but futile. It may take a while, but we will find your heart." With that, he grabbed my head. I felt as though I was losing my mind, too… I…I… Wait.

"Who… who am I?"

The person in the cloak grinned.

"If you want to find out who you are, I suggest you follow me."

* * *

I remembered everything, and now I knew what I needed to do now. I raised my sword again, as though to hit Melissa, then swung behind me. Though surprised, Xemnas easily dodged my attack, summoning his Ethereal Blades. I slashed at him again, but this time he knocked my sword aside, hitting me with his other blade. It sent me flying into a wall, but not before I shot a Fire spell at Xemnas's face. Getting to my feet, I ran, Melissa beside me. We ran through the white corridors, utterly lost, and for some reason, I couldn't make a portal to escape. Soon, some Dusk Nobodies blocked our path. Five were behind us, seven in front. Two more dropped from the ceiling, distracting me long enough for the others to attack. They wrapped themselves around me, stopping me from escaping.

Then, some Assassins appeared, lead by Xenew. "So, my former master, you thought you could leave without a fight?"

"So you obey someone else now?"

He nodded.

"Yes. Zexion defeated you."

"I escaped from him."

"You still lost. Defeat him and I'll change my mind. Right now, he is the strongest."

I laughed at this.

"Maybe, but he works for Xemnas, and I just set his face on fire."

Xenew froze.

"You… you set his…" Xenew barked out a laugh, the first hint of emotion I'd ever got from him. He fell sprawled out on the ground, laughing his head off. The other Assassins looked at him uncertainly, and the Dusks got off me, unsure of what to do. Xenew tried to get up, a hard thing to do when you have blades instead of hands. At that point Mage Nobodies showed up, their hands glowing with power. One of them flew past Xenew to get a better vantage point. He stabbed it in the head, all traces of laughter gone. The other Assassins caught on quickly, slaying the rest of the Mages. Xenew looked at the Dusks, saying, "Come with us. I think Gale might actually get us a heart." He looked at the other Assassins. "Tell the others who our new leader is. Then follow us." They nodded and disappeared. Finally, he looked at me, and bowed. "That was the first time I've felt _anything_ since I became a Nobody. I believe that you just might get our hearts back, and for that cause, I will serve you forevermore."

"Ha! That's what you said when I beat Axel, wasn't it? Well, anyway, do you know a way out of here?"

"Of course. Follow me."

* * *

Saix stood outside the castle, waiting. Luxord portaled next to him, saying, "Are you sure he can escape?"

Saix shrugged.

"If he does escape, then we will work with him. If he can't escape, then he isn't strong enough to be of any use." At that point, a explosion shook the castle, and thousands of Shadows swarmed out, quickly followed by a army of Assassins. A dark portal opened up beneath them, summoned by Gale. He came out a second later, pursued by Dragoons, Creepers, Mages, and Sorcerers. He quickly jumped in the portal as well, though not before casting a Firaga spell on the approaching Nobodies. Most of them were destroyed in the resulting inferno, but the survivors quickly followed him into the portal.

* * *

Ansem was suddenly knee-deep in Shadows, not including the Assassins jumping around and fighting. "Gale, you have a lot of explaining to do."

I grinned.

"I will, but let's take care of the Nobodies first, ok?" At that point, three of the Dragoons lunged at me, but a blast of water sent them flying. "Demyx! Good to see you."

He grimaced, blocking a Fire spell. "I'd be better if you didn't flood us with Heartless." I sliced one of the Mages in two, commanding the Shadows to destroy the Creepers. They quickly managed that, crushing them with their sheer numbers. They left afterwards, leaving us to fight the remaining Nobodies. The Sorcerers and Mages quickly banded together, focusing their magical power into one spell, but Ansem was suddenly next to them, cutting them to pieces. The only survivor was one of the Sorcerers, who practically glowed with power. The thing seemed to look right at me, even though it didn't have eyes. It seemed to radiate hate, for me and everyone who would stop it from gaining a heart. Several red, transparent cubes appeared, blocking Ansem's next attack. The cubes then changed into knives, ready to tear us to pieces. Before it could use them, though, Ansem appeared behind it and sliced it in two. It faded into nothingness, but not before giving me another hateful glare.

It's glare haunted me as I explained the situation to Ansem. As I looked to see if anything else followed me. It still haunts me to this very day, the one part of my nightmares that never fades. I struggled with it for hours before I finally snatched some meaning from it. I never thought about it before, but all the Nobodies have a common hope, myself included: We all want our hearts back. It's absence left a ache inside me, one that nothing else could cure.


End file.
